Appealing to Generation Waiting List

April 23, 2013Perry Kuklin

Forget about Generation X. The newest moniker out there is Generation Waiting List, and it seems like every kid and their parent is on it, at least in New York City. As the NY Times reported, for everything from summer camps to preschool, ballet classes to soccer leagues, parents are lining up at ungodly hours to get their children signed up and enrolled in their desired activities. Often, children get relegated to the waiting list, and stay there. There are just too few spaces and too many kids. It’s painful to think that a child living in a high-density area can’t get their hands on opportunities that might seem plentiful for a big city. But it’s also painful to experience the actual wait, whether you’re the child or the parent who is physically standing in the queue.

Companies that adequately address the pain of waiting will reap the rewards of an overextended generation...

Individuals in this competitive situation are waiting for things they shouldn’t have to wait for, and their patience is already tested on a regular basis. Companies and service organizations that can’t manage their lines in comparison to the anxiety that Generation Waiting List experiences will feel the brunt of this demographic’s negative response to torturous waits. Eliminate the “Pain” of Waiting No one wants to waste their time waiting, busy parent or not, city resident or otherwise. Just because many people are willing to go to great lengths to secure a spot in a summer camp doesn’t mean they actually relish the process. Companies that adequately address the pain of waiting will reap the rewards of an overextended generation that is simply tired of waiting and being at the beck and call of others’ schedules and demands. How can you make life easier for the people in your queue? NYC parents are stressed with online registration – now it’s not always a matter of how early you can get in line, but how quickly you can get online. But businesses that implement virtual queuing can actually make the activity of registering online painless. When people can reserve their spot via their laptop, tablet, or smartphone and “stand in line” from the comfort of their own home (or their kid’s soccer game, or the nearest coffee shop, or the office), it takes the pressure off of having to physically “be” somewhere to beat the crowd and earn your spot in line. Customers can wait for someone to notify them via text message that it’s almost their turn – which is a refreshing change of pace. Even creating a virtual waiting area within your business can give Generation Waiting List an opportunity to sit down for a moment and do whatever they need to do – or just zone out for a few minutes ­– while they wait. It eliminates the “feeling” of waiting, and the pain of the experience is minimized because there is a freedom associated with it rather than a sense of being stuck. Want to address Generation Waiting List in your business with a virtual queue? Speak with a Lavi rep and learn how to implement this technology to enhance your relationship and communication with your customers while simultaneously improving the customer experience.